The Hardest Fall
I checked my watch: it was almost eleven.
“I’m sorry,” Zoe muttered, putting her slice down. “I know you get up early. You don’t have to sit and watch me eat.”
“I can watch a movie with you,” I told her. How could I leave her? “No doomsday movies, though. Anything but that.”
Her smile back in place, she picked up her slice and took another damn bite. “I actually wanted to watch Geostorm, but didn’t wanna do it alone.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so. Pick something else.”
“I still get to pick?”
“Sure, why not? I’m an asshole, remember? You get to pick the movie.” And I get to know you better, I thought to myself.
“How about an old-ish movie, like The Fifth Element or…Speed? Or how about Lord of the Rings? Both Kayla and Jared refuse to binge-watch them with me, and that’s a movie I’d rather watch with a friend. Definitely one of my favorites.” One more bite and she had me licking my lips. Before I could manage to respond, she’d already swallowed and was starting again. “I know we can’t binge them tonight, but maybe another time? The only other person who loves it as much as me is in Phoenix, and it’s been so long since I watched it.”
I cleared my throat. “I thought for sure you’d force Titanic or The Notebook on me as a punishment.”
Licking her fingers, she shook her head. “I like romantic movies, but sometimes they’re too sweet. I have to be in the mood for that.”
Great. I was her buddy, her friend—nothing romantic about that.
“How about we go for Fifth Element then. It’s been a while since I watched a Bruce Willis movie. How are we gonna do this? Your laptop or mine?”
“Mine. I think I have that on my account already.” She sprang up from the couch, barely keeping her balance as she thrust the pizza box into my hands. “Don’t steal,” she warned, her expression serious.
Holding back my smile, I gave her a nod.
Just as she took off in a jog, the doorbell rang, stopping her forward movement.
Slowly she turned to me and whispered, “Ms. Hilda? I don’t wanna open it. If she wants me to do something, by the time I get back, my pizza will be cold.”
Just as quietly, I whispered back, “I already helped her with some heavy boxes today. Let’s ignore it—I’ll check on her tomorrow.” I wouldn’t exactly call the old lady sweet, but she was definitely treating me better than she treated Zoe; I’d witnessed that on more than a few occasions.
She bit her lip and glanced at the door.
Before I could get up and nudge her toward her room, someone knocked loud enough to wake the whole damn building.
The noise made Zoe jump, and she looked at me in confusion. Frowning, I got up from my seat.
Chapter Ten
Dylan
“I know you’re in there, you asshole! Open the fucking door.”
Oh fuck.
“Who is it?” Zoe asked, still whispering.
I sighed and put her pizza on top of mine. Rubbing my neck, I went to open the door before someone called 911 for a noise complaint, or worse, Ms. Hilda decided to come out, if she hadn’t already.
I knew it would be pointless, but I still blocked his entrance.
“What the hell are you doing here JP?”
“Hello to you too, you motherfucker.”
Great.
I glanced at Zoe over my shoulder and she made a face that clearly said shit.
Shit, indeed.
I turned back to my impatient, pissed-off friend. “What do you want?”
He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe I’d ask such a question, and then he pushed me back, sweeping right into the apartment and coming face to face with Zoe.
“Oh, what do we have here?”
I exhaled a deep breath and closed the door. At least the dumbass had come alone.
When Zoe said hi, I turned around to find JP circling her like a shark observing its prey before deciding on an attack plan, much like he had years before, actually, though I doubted he’d remember her from that night, not like I did.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warned him. “What are you doing here, man?”
He quit playing and focused on me.
“What am I doing here? Good question. Wait, I think I have an even better one—what the hell are you doing here?”
“I live here.”
“I already got that much. You’ve been coming straight here after splitting with us these last two days.”
“Are you fucking crazy? Have you been following me?”
“Excuse the fuck out of me for being worried about you.”
“Maybe I should just go to my room so you guys can—”
My eyes landed on Zoe as she started to back away. “You stay,” I ordered her.
JP glanced between Zoe and me. “Is this why you’ve been so tight-lipped about where you’re staying? Because you’re shacking up with some girl and playing house?”
“Do you want me to knock your ass out?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’d love to see you try, you fucker.”
“O-kay. As fun as this is to watch, I’m just gonna take my pizza and—”
“Sit down, Zoe, and eat your pizza. JP will be leaving soon.”
Her eyes grew big and her lips twitched. “Aye aye, captain.”
As she walked back toward the couch, I scrubbed my hand down my face and sighed. JP was apparently still waiting for an answer, because he was still standing in the same spot, arms crossed over his chest.
“I told you I found a roommate. Why the hell are you worried about it?”
He relaxed his stance and sighed. “Come on, man. Finding a roommate isn’t the problem here. You barely speak to the guys unless we’re on the field or in a meeting. Do you think they don’t notice how distant you’ve been? You’ve been ditching us for study groups, and you always get all tongue-tied whenever we ask where you’re staying. I get calls from Vicky asking me where you are, and I don’t even know if you’re talking to her again or if it’s just her crazy ass trying something. It’s not just you trying to keep a secret about where you’re staying for some damn reason. It’s our last year—you can’t pull this shit now. What the hell is going on with you?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zoe tuck her legs under her and hug the pizza box to herself as she lifted a slice up to her lips. At least one of us was enjoying the moment. I turned my focus back to JP. I really didn’t want to get in trouble with Coach by having JP in the apartment, but since he was already standing in the middle of the living room, I couldn’t see how I could avoid it either.
“Nothing is going on with me, JP. What do you expect me to do about the team? I’m not dropping the ball out there, that should be enough. I don’t think you’d act any differently if you were in my shoes. Do you honestly believe none of them saw what was going on with those three at that party?”
“I was at that party, Dylan, remember? Chris was there too. You think we knew what was going on?” he asked in disbelief.
“No, not you, but don’t tell me you believed them when they said it only happened that once. Screw that. I don’t even care about it anymore, but don’t expect me to trust them any time soon. On the field, we’re a team, always, and I’ll have their backs, but off the field?” I shook my head and leaned my back against the door. “No, man. I don’t have a problem with everyone, but nothing says I have to like those few who I’m sure knew what was going on just because we’re playing for the same team. And of course I’m going to ditch your ugly asses to study. You said it yourself, it’s our last year. Scouts are there, watching every game. This is it. We either make it or we don’t. I gotta give it my all. Instead of being a creep and following me around, you should be studying too since Coach will have your head if your average drops.”